Electric heating system



J. W. DORSEY ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM Filed slept. 13, 192Q 2 sheets-sheet 1 .fa/w mma/wif attoz u e145 Oct. 2, 1923.

J. W. DORSEY ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 18. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mento/a JOM Wa/TSEL atroz M193,

Patented Oct. 2, 1923.

UNITED STATES JOHN W. DORSEY, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM.

Application ed September 18, 1920. Serial No. 411,103.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN lV. DoRsEY, a, citizen of the United States, residing at Winnipeg in theProvince of Manitoba and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Heating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electric heating system for uniformly heating the human body.

The system is adapted for use indoors or out of doors and may function at the will of the individual, whether he be walking, standing. or sitting.

The system provides for a plurality` of stationary electric conductors connected to a central power source, and adapted tocooperate with contacts carried by persons who walk or stand on such conductors and who wear the heating garment forming a part of the system.

Details ot' the invention provide for a garment adapted to snugly fit the human body and constructed with a flexible metallic weave, constituting a resistor heating body, and suitably insulated by layers of cloth on the inner and outer surfaces. This garment is connected to contacts carried on the shoes of the wearer. and these contacts are arranged to co-operate with aseries of conductors, usually placed on the 'foot and alternate members of which are connected to a source ot energy in such a manner as to complete a circuit Afrom one stationary conductor through the heating garment and back to the next adjacent stationary conductor.

The advantages .of the system are obvious. 'The body may be uniformly heated regardless of the extremes of atmospheric temperature. or weather conditions. and such uniformity is not possibly provided by any other manner ot' dress or heating system. 'lhe system is equally well adapted for use in any location. whether in homes, factories. railwayv stations. or on side-walks. By using the ysystem in buildings. it is at once unnecessary to maintain tht` inside temperature of thtl buildin-g as high as would be necessary it' the system were not installed, and aeeordinglv the fuel costs are corre-- spondingly lowered. For use in the open, the stationary conductors may be located as desired, whether on the side walk, or in public waiting places, such as street car transfer stations and railway station platforms. Prolonged exposure to cold caused by delay in ltrain 'schedules may thus be avoided.

' Another advantage resides in the fact that electric power may be purchased relatively cheaply during the day light hours, and this would make the use of the system in business places relatively inexpensive.

The system has one particular advantage which resides in the fact thatI it is not necessary to alter buildings or other constructions in order to complete an installation. For instance, in a home, carpets or floor coverings having conductorsincorporated may be used and the occupants of the house may connect the carpet conductors to a suitable source of power, and by wearing the garment which is adapted to co-operate with the carpet contacts, they may derive heat from the ordinary electric light circuit. Similarly, stationary metallic contacts, insulated from each other, may be located in factories, or in public places where persons attending to their daily occupations may place the conductors carried by them in contact with the fixed conductors 'forming the stationary part of this system. One of. the peculiar advantages of the system is that it may be used without extra effort or thought on the part of the individual. The ordinary walking movements, standing and sitting positions, may place the connections from the heating garment in circuit with the stationary conductors. The use of the system may. therefore,be readily adapted and introduced.

Other details and features of the invention will be set forth andclaimed in the following specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which" Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing in plan the arrangement. of stationary condut-tors suitable vfor side-walks or hallways, and other vfloor surfaces.

Fig. L is a diagrammatic view showing in plan a. similar arrangement to that shown in ooy Fig. l, but having connections providing for a three wire system coupled to a suitable transformer.

- Fig. 3 is adiagrammatic view showing in plan an arrangement of the stationary conductors having intermediate insulating blocks of the same size as the conductors, this arrangement providing parallel rows of insulation blocks and positively and negatively connected conductor blocks.

Fig. 4 shows a type of floor covering suitable for use in houses and having concentric circles of electric conductive material incorporated therein andv insulated from each other, adjacent circles beingconnected to opposite sides `of a source of power.

Fig. 5 is a view of a similar ioor covering as that shown in Fig. 4, but providing a rectangular design for the conductor portions of the floor covering.

Fig. 6 is a view showing diagrammatically the arrangement of conductors illustrated in Fig. 1, but adapted to use on stairway constructions.

Fig. .7 illustrates the figure of a person wearing the heating garment which forms a part 0f the system, and standing on adjacent plates or conductors of the floor portion of the system. The right side of the figure shows the outer covering of the garment, and the left side shows the outer portion removed and illustrates the parallel arrangement of metallic material secured to the inner insulating cloth surface.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the circuit extends from the lower end of one leg of the garment, upwardly and to the extremity of one arm, across to the end of the opposite arm, and downwardly to the lower end of the opposite leg.

ig. 9 is a sectional view illustrating the connection from the lower leg portion of the garment to the shoe, and the mounting of the contact plate in the sole of the shoe.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view illustrating the construction of one form of weave of the resistor heating element which may be used. Referring in detail to the drawings, Fig. l shows a series of metallic conductors illustrated as elongated rectangular plates, which'may be used on side-walks. 1 indicates a positively connected conductor plate and the next adjacent plate 2 is connected to the negative 0f a source of electrical energy. 3 indicates insulation space between the adj acent blocks. Wires, leading from a source of power, are indicated by 4 and 5, leading respectively to the positive and negative plates. In operation the person wearing the heating garment, which formsa part of this system, steps from positive t0 negative conductor in the ordinary walking gait. At such time as both feet are on the ground. an electric circuit is completed from positive to negative for each successive step, the circuit being Completed through the connections exten ding from the shoes of the wearer upward through one leg of the garment and finally down the other leg of the arinent and through the opposite shoe to tie conductor plate. A resistor element 6 is provided to guard against undue heating of the garment and to cut oil' unusually heavy currents.

In Fig. 2 is an arrangement for using a three-wire system connected to the secondary S of a transformer having a primary winding P. vThis arrangement includes positive conductors 1, negative conductors 2, the usual insulation 3 between the plates, and a series of neutral conductors 7 suitably arranged for a three-wire system. Wires 8, 9 and 10 extend from the secondary S to the positive, neutral, and negative conductors, respectively. A blank and unconnected plate is illustrated at 1. In this arrangement also as well as in other forms suitable fuses should be provided as indicated at 6".

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated an optional arrangement of stationary conductors in which the positive and negative conductors are separated by blocks 0f insulation maiterial of the same size. The shape of the blocks is preferably square and where the system is to be used in a side-walk, or where the travel is along a iven line, it is desirable to place the vblocs at an angle of 45 to the line 0f travel, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In this way, it is possible to step continuously on insulation material or to step alternately on' positive or negative conductor members, which. are arranged in parallel rows at either side of the insulation material.

In order to differentiate readily between insulation material and to readily discern a difference between positive and negative conductors, it is desirable to provide definite colors, such as black, red and blue to indicate the negative, positive and insulation material, respectively. there it is not desirable to u colors, any simple arrange ment or manner of indication will prove serviceable.` The use of colors or other means of distinguishing conductors is not absolutely necessary, because by standingon one plate, there will be no electric circuit completed and, therefore, there could be no heat generated in the garment.

The conductors which have been described as being stationary may be formed of any suitable material. For instance. they may be shown as solid metal plates, as indicated in Fig. 1, or there may be a series of metallic plates standing Aon edge and cmbedded in pavement surface, such plates being connected at their ends to the con 5 represent .floor covering constructions, such as carpets, in which there is a series of bands of conductor material incorporated into the body of the carpet. Alternate bands of this materia-l are separated by insulation of the carpet and the positive and negative bands are coupled up with a source of electric power by means of the wires 4 and 5 in a manner similar to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. By the use of such floor coverings, it 1s possible to provide for the heating of the persons in a house and dispensing with much of the ordinary furnace heat. A person walking, standing, or

sitting in a room having such a floor coveri ing, by placing a foot on adjoining bands of conductor material, may complete the circuit through the garment which is being worn by the individual.

Fig. 6 shows the connections for a stairway, which provides that the adjacent steps have conductors of positive and negative connection.

Referring in detail to the construction of the heating garment which isdesigned to co-operate Wlth the stationary conductors of the system, Fig. 7 shows a full-length view of such a garment. 11 is the heavy outer coverin which is preferably made of woolen material and adapted to retain the heat generated. 12 indicates the inner surface material which is adapted to rest on the underwear of the person wearing the garment. Located between the two layers l1 and 12 is an intermediate resistor body, preferably formed of woven metallic mesh arranged in strips extendinglengthwise of the arms and legs and body portion of the garment. A suitable arrangement is shown in Fig. 7 where the metallic strips 13 are placed close together, but spaced to provide for elasticity in the garment. rl`he strips 13 are arranged in continuous form, so that the electric circuit is adapted to extend up one leg of the garment, down one arm, across and down the other arm, and then finally down the other leg. The invention includes the use of a connection extending from the lower leg portion through shoes 14 and to a. contactplate 15 secured to, or embedded in the sole 16 of the shoe. An electric wire connects the plate 15 by extending` along the sole of the shoe, as indicated at 17. The wire 17 extends up at the rear of the shoe and is preferably covered by a supplemental piece of leather. upper 'end of the wire 17 is terminated in a contact. button 18 over which a snap fas tener 19 is adapted to fit. Extending upwardly from the snap fastener 19 is a wire or tape 20 having a second snap fastener 21 adapted to be Secured to a contact button 22, which in turn is secured to the metallic material 18 of the heating garment- The in that portion immediately above the shoe or stocking. The length of the member 20, and the point of attachment of the contact button 22 is not material, but depends on the convenience and personal desire of the wearer.

Fig. 10 shows an enlarged form of the mesh of the metallic material 13. This material ma be Woven as indicated or may be manuactured by the interwinding of metallic threads in the form of tape, the metallic threads extendingin and out of t-he tape and thus forming a very durable material, but less elastic than that illustrated in Fig. lO.

The invention includes the use of the heating garment with stationary contacts at such points as may be desirable so that the electrical circ-uit may be completed readily and during the ordinary movements of the individual wearing the garment. The use of vthis system requires ease with which the contact is made and the circuit completed. For instance, the circuit may be completed by having contacts on each foot, or may be furnished by contact from one foot and a cane carried in the hand of the wearer of the suit, in which case a conductor must extend the length of the cane and be connected to the arment by a fastener supplied at the end ofz the garment sleeve.

The size of the stationary conductors is preferably about twenty-four inches in width, substantially the same as a normal walking step, and the insulation between adjacent conductors is illustrated as about three inches. These figures apply to the diagrammatic representations in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, equally, although the conductors and other blocks in Fig. 3 are shown in reduced scale. p

The mounting of theeontact member .15 on the shoe may be modified as desired, and if preferablefmay be applied tothe heel, or to the toe and heel, so as to insure completion of the electrical circuit without the necessity of modifyingthe natural walking gait of the wearer of the garment.

WhatI claim is:

1. An electric heating system comprising a plurality of stationary contacts arranged in pairs of opposite polarity for connection with a source of electrical energy, a heating element` for the human body, and contacts connected with said heating element and each vadapted to be moved alternately into and out of contact with one of said pairs of opposite polarity of said stationary'contacts.

2.A An electric heating system comprising a plurality of stationary conductors `arranged in insulated relation to each other and at the floor or ground surface and adapted to be trod upon, and a heating element for the human body having conduclll tors adapted to contact with said stationary conductorse 3. An electric heating system comprising a plura"ty of stationary conductors in insulated relation to each other and adapted to be trod upon, and a heating element for the human body having conductors adapted to contact with said stationary conductors.

4. An electric heating system comprising a lurality of stationary conductors in insuliited relation to each other and adapted to be trod upon, and a heating element for the human body, and connections extending from said heatinfT element and terminating in contacts on the shoes of the wearer of said heating element, said contacts being adapted to engage said stationary conductors and supply electric current to said heating element. A

5. An electric heating system comprising a lurality of stationary conductors in insu ated relation to each other and adapted to be trod upon, a. heating element for the human body comprising a substantially full length garment adapted to closely embrace he body to retain heat, and connections extending from said heating element and terminating in contacts on the shoes of the wearer of said heating element, said contac being adapted to engage said stationary conductors and supply electric current to said heating element.

6. In an electric heating system, a stationary conductor located at the level of the floor or ground and adapted to be trod upon and to transmit electrical energy to heating apparatus carried 'by persons so stepping on said conductor.

Y. In electric heating system, a series of statinoary electrical conductorsarranged in insulated relation to each other and located at the door or ground level and adapt-- ed to be trod upon.

8. In electric heating system, a series of stationary electrical conductors arranged in insulated relation to each other and located at the licor or ground level and adapted to be trod upon, alternate members of said series being connected to the opposite poles of a source of electrical energy.

9. In an electric heating system, a series of stationary electrical conductors arranged in insulated relation to each other and lo cated at the floor or ground level und adapted to be trod upon, alternate members of said series being connected to the opposite poles of a source of electrical energy, a heating element for the human body, and connections extending from said heating element and terminating in contacts adapted to engage alternate stationary conductors and receive electric current for said heatin element.

l0. n an electric heating system, a heat ing element for the human body, and connections extending from said heating element and terminating in contacts on the lower faces of the soles of the slices of the wearer of said heating element, each of said contacts being adapted to engage electric conductors arranged in a plurality ofV polarity, located at the ground level and connected toa source ci electric energy.

12. In an electric heating system, a close fitting heating garmentcomprising outer layers of insulating material and an intermediate layer of electrically conductive material constituting a heating element, and connections extending from said garment and terminating in contacts adapted to engage contacts connected to a source of electric energy and located in the licor or pavement and adapted to be trod upon to complete the electrical circuit.

13. An electric heating system compris ing a plurality of stationary conductors for connection with a source of electrical energy, connections extending from said conductors and adapted to be secured to a suitable source of electrical energy, ay resistance element in circuit with at least one of said connections, a heating element for the human body, and contacts connected with said heating element and adapted to be moved alternately into und out ot contact with said stationary contacts.

14. In an electric heating system, a series of stationary electrical conductors arranged in insulated relation to each other and located at the floor or ground level and adapted to be trod upon, alternate members of said series being connected to the opposite poles of a source of electrical energy, a resistance element located between said conductors and the source of power, a heating element for the human body, and connections extending from said heating element and terminating in contacts adapted to engage alternate stationary conductors and receive electric current for said heating element.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

JOHN W. DORS/EY. 

